The
Secrets of Socorro Mantas
The giant mantas you dive with
at Socorro provide you with one of the most amazing big
animal encounters you'll find anywhere. This month,
we share some insights into manta behaviors that help
explain why the encounters are so unusual:
We have only a few spots left
for 2012 and early 2013 cruises - but you can
grab one of the spots and take advantage of our Leap
Year Special for fantastic diving and great savings.
Socorro
Manta Secrets: Clarion Angelfish
 The
first insight into our giant mantas' intense interaction
with divers lies with their unique relationship to
the tiny (by comparison) Clarion Angelfish. These angels,
found only in the Socorro Islands / Revillagigedos
Archipelago, routinely clean the giant mantas of parasites
at "stations" found throughout the area.
While other small fish may also join in, the angels
do most of the work. Worldwide,it is common for juvenile
angels to clean other fish, far less common for adults.
In Socorro - it's the adults who do
the majority of the cleaning. This combination of adult
angels and giant mantas has led to both the mantas
and the angels being quite comfortable engaging in
cleaning activity "slightly away from the reef" where
it's easier for a school of angels to cover all the
territory on a giant manta.
In most other manta cleaning areas
around the world, the activity is done close to the
reef, and any encroachment by divers ends in the manta
leaving (often quickly). In Socorro, the cleaning is
often done in blue water, and divers are invited in!
You may see this unusual cleaning activity
clearly in our Jan. 26, 2012 video trip report
(click
here).
In fact, it almost seems as though
the mantas think divers are giant clarion angels because
they flare and often assume the cleaning position (wings
spread, back arched) when interacting with divers.
With or without the clarion angels around. Very unusual
behavior indeed - but what a fabulous encounter!
Giant Mantas: Different
Species
Dr. Andrea Marshall is a world
famous marine biologist who studies manta populations
world-wide in order to help protect and conserve
them. Her in-depth research discovered that there
are TWO distinct species of giant mantas.
 Most
Socorro visitors immediately recognize that
some of our giant mantas are nearly all black and
often seem smaller than most of the black/white
(called Chevron) giant mantas you see. So we're
often asked if these mantas are a different species.
And they seem different enough at first glance
to make that a relevant question.
Well - it turns out that there
are at least two different species of giant
mantas - manta bilostris and manta alfredi. But
coloration has nothing to do with it. Dr.
Marshall's research proved that manta bilostris is
the species found offshore (and usually larger)
and genetically different from manta alfredi
which is found inshore. For more on Andrea Marshall's cutting
edge manta research, click
here.
The darker offshore giant
mantas are referred to as melanistic mantas.
There's supposedly a nearly all white "morph" version
of the offshore mantas well, but we haven't seen
it in nearly 20 years of exploring the Socorro Islands.
But, all of the mantas you see at Socorro all belong
to the same off-shore species, manta bilostris .
The mantas you see at Socorro are
some of the largest and most diver friendly you will
ever encounter. Past visitors on our vessel
who have traveled to other manta hot-spots around
the world often return to the Solmar V just
because the giant manta activity is so unique. And
that's a wonderful compliment to pay our mantas!
Join us and experience the
Socorro giant mantas first-hand - you won't be disappointed.
LEAP
YEAR Special
 Since
February 29th only comes around once every four years
we decided to celebrate Leap Year with a „Leap
Year Special"! The trip dates are:
December 13 - 21, 2012
January 5 - 13, 2013
January 15 - 23, 2013
January 25 - February 2, 2013
The Leap Year Special includes:
- 11% Mexican IVA tax - Included
- Hotel Night Prior - Included
- Roundtrip Airport Transfers - Included
- Free Upgrade to Superior Cabin
(while they last) - Included
- Free Alcoholic Beverages - Included
- National Park Fees - Included
- Port Clearance Fees - Included
- Fuel Surcharges - Included
- Over $500 in savings and value
added per person!
Special Leap Year
Flat Rate of $ 3199. Normal Trip price is $3550/3560 including
the tax PLUS you normally pay extra for
hotel room and tranfers in Cabo San Lucas.
For exact availability on any of
the trips listed above, or to make a deposit for a
booking, please contact our office by phone or email.
Latest Trip
Reports - Solmar V
FRead our latest trip reports and
follow our most recent adventures - we post new trip
reports after every trip! Click on your favorite web
link below!
   
SOLMAR V
P.O. Box 529, Topanga, CA
90290
Toll Free: 1-866-591-4906, CA and Int: (310)455-3600
(Office Hours are Mon - Fri, 9-5, West Coast U.S.Time)
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ARE AUTOMATICALLY ELIGIBLE FOR AN ANNUAL GRAND PRIZE
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